Hoteliers, proud of their regions
- Christophe & Ingrid DURAND
A stay in Ile de France: Paris and much more...
When we think about the Ile de France, we immediately think of Paris. But the region doesn't finish at the gates of the capital, and it would be a shame not to cross the 'peripherique' when you're next in the region. Whether you come for business or pleasure Ile-de-France is rich in its diversity. Judge for yourself.
Who says "Parisiens" are haughty? It's the last thing that comes to mind when you meet Ingrid and Christophe Durand, who run the INTER-HOTEL Bagatelle in Goussainville, in the Val d'Oise. «We met in the cold storage of a gastronomic restaurant in Reims, explains Ingrid with a smile. And we've stayed together since. We've been working for 15 years in this hotel and we've now been running it for five. ».
- Carrousel, Museum of the Louvre, Paris
«Like a lot of people, we had negative preconceptions when we arrived in the Paris region, adds Christophe. But we've adapted very well. The clientele is varied, made up in a large part of foreigners and people from the provinces. It's really interesting». One has to say that the Durands bend over backwards for their clients, who are delighted. When the job they love leaves them time, Ingrid and Christophe like to discover their beautiful region: «Paris, of course, is an attraction in itself, with its famous monuments», like the Eiffel Tower, the Arc de Triomphe, Notre Dame Cathedral, the museums (The Louvre, Orsay, Pompidou), the parks and gardens (Tuileries, Luxembourg, Buttes Chaumont, Montsouris), the Montparnasse Tower, the Butte Montmartre, the Ile Saint Louis and the Operas (Garnier, Bastille). But do we really need to present Paris?
Ingrid and Christophe prefer to highlight the richness of "their corner of Ile de France": «We really like Auvers sur Oise with its castle and forest, the Isle-Adam with its large wooded park and lake, explains Christophe. We like to walk in the old town of Cergy-Pontoise or in Chantilly». «The major attraction of the Ile de France is its extreme diversity, continues Ingrid. You can go to museums,visit castles, walk in the parks, go to shows or enjoy yourself in world famous theme parks. And in spite of everything, you can still live in a small town and find peace and quiet. It's a region for all tastes. ».
- Inspiring forest of Fontainebleau
A region for business and leisure stays
For lovers of the capital, INTER-HOTEL has around twenty hotels in the heart of the capital. But the suburbs, near or less near, are not forgotten... In Seine et Marne (77), where you can visit the towns of Fontainebleau and Provins, or enjoy yourself as a family in the theme park of the most famous mouse on the planet, our INTER-HOTEL establishments will welcome you warmly. Close to Fontainebleau, Cannes-Ecluse is on the Paris-Sens axe, at the gates of Burgundy. Not far from there, Barbizon, in the heart of the Fontainebleau forest, will impress you with its timeless charm. The town of landscape and impressionist painters still has an artistic atmosphere via its museums, studios and galeries. The town of Meaux is a stopover full of discoveries: the Bossuet museum, the episcopal palace, cathedrale and old chapter house, the Bossuet garden, and the archeological site of Bauve nearby.
Finally, Ozoir la Ferrière, near Marne-la-Vallée, is a peaceful town where our hotel-restaurant with traditionnel cooking will delight those who like good food. In the Yvelines (78), the region including the towns of Versailles, Rambouillet and Saint-Germain-en-Laye, our hotels cater for all types of stays: for business or pleasure. Just next to Versailles, the town of Buc with its castle and arcades classed as a historical monument, owes its reputation to the rise in aviation. Many pilots began their careers flying over the plateau of Haut Buc. In 1909, when Louis Bleriot crossed the channel in 37 minutes, aviation became an industry. Orders came in, pushing Bleriot to open the Aeroparc at Buc. In Guyancourt, in the heart of the new town of Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines, you'll discover a young, modern town, located next to a national golf course. On the road leading from Versailles to Rambouillet, our hotel in Coignières will allow you to benefit from a location suited to both business and leisure (close to the natural park of the valley of Chevreuse).
- St.Denis basilica, in Saint-Denis
Discoveries throughout the region
Further south, the town of Rambouillet offers a countryside location with its castle (now a country home of the president, welcoming foreign heads of state from time to time), and also its hiking and biking trails... In Essonne (91), it the valleys of Ulis (near Orsay) and Dourdan which are highlighted. Well located, our two hotels are suitable for local visits, but allow you to be inside Paris rapidly...
In Seine-Saint-Denis, the town of Saint Denis la Plaine, at the gates of Paris, has the famous Stade de France and a fantastic basilica, resting place of the kings of France. Near to Roissy-Charles-de-Gaulle airport and exposition centre of Paris-Villepinte, Tremblay en France is the biggest and greenest area in the region.
Finally, to end this tour around Paris, don't miss the Val de Marne. Vincennes, at the limit of Paris, is a nice town which has a wood of the same name. A perfect place for morning jogging, or to breathe fresh air after a day in the capital. Not far from there, in Saint-Maur-des-Fossés, you can visit the ruins of the ancient abbey which made this place, in the past, a place of miracles similar to Lourdes. People came here to pray from throughout Europe. Circled by a bend in the river Marne, the town is crossed by 5 bridges.
Rather than just staying in Paris, the Ile de France is a region where you can enjoy work and play, as well as local visits. By visiting around the capital, you'll discover some wonderful surprises it would be a shame to miss. Especially, as Ingrid Durand concludes : "Don't be afraid of the trafic jams. The region has excellent local transport connections (trains, bus, tramway, metros, RER…) and you don't necessarily need to use your car once you're here)."
INTER-HOTEL is a brand of the